Advice on getting over fear and panic

[Mayday981]

Hi everybody,

I've been surfing on and off the past 10 years or so. It's been great and I would surf up to 5 feet or so usually. However, I've gotten in injuries the last couple years. Some were surfing related like tendonitis in my elbow and back pain. Every time I get these injuries, I'll stop surfing for awhile. For those two injuries, I've stopped 5-6 months.

Now I use to have a big fear of water when I was younger. I got over that fear in my early 20s by going to a aquaphobia camp and they taught me how to relax and not be afraid of deep water. For some reason, whenever I come back after a long drought of not surfing, I feel that fear again. Also, I realize that as I get older, I get more afraid of going out even though I've had the best times surfing with friends.

Today for instance, I went out to my local break. It's one of the easiest breaks, but it was pretty choppy and my paddling skills were horrible. I hesitated a bunch going for waves and I ended up cutting the session short after I couldn't paddle away from two other people who had caught some waves. I ended up colliding with one of them and I panicked and paddled in right away.

My question is has anybody ever felt this way? How do you all keep in control not get scared and panic? I think my fear is I panic and freeze and then end up drowning. It's like the fight and flight response and I'm always choosing flight now. I remember when I was younger and I loved just paddling out and catching waves. Even though I know that I have the leash and surfboard, I now get those fears in the water. It's caused me to not go out when the waves are 3+. I'd like to get over that fear and be able to go out on a 3, 4, or even 5 foot day.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[oldmansurfer]

My theory is fitness familiarity and fun. The more fit you are and the more familiar you are with the ocean the less dangerous it is to you so less to fear. It’s got to be fun for you or you won’t persist. I am also an advocate for small steps. Small steps are easier to accomplish so you feel like you are making progress and bigger steps are more scary.

[BoMan]

My theory is fitness familiarity and fun. The more fit you are and the more familiar you are with the ocean the less dangerous it is to you so less to fear. It’s got to be fun for you or you won’t persist. I am also an advocate for small steps. Small steps are easier to accomplish so you feel like you are making progress and bigger steps are more scary.

This is great advice. Here are a few suggestions for the small steps...

*Surf at a sheltered break and on smaller (3 foot) days. Searching Magic Seaweed forecasts will help with this.
*Paddle out when the tide is coming in. The waves will be crumbly rather than steep.
*Look for an alternative peak away from the crowd.
*Ride a longboard with thruster fins. More foam will increase your wave count.
*Ride with a friend who can support and encourage you.

[waikikikichan]

I think my fear is I panic and freeze and then end up drowning.

And then what happens ? You die. We all will end up dying. Would you rather die doing something you love that makes you feel alive out in nature ? Or would you rather die coop up in the house on the couch playing video games ? Life is about living ......... and making mistakes. We learn by making mistakes, overcoming obstacles, and dealing with the good and bad.

That said, I don't want to end up dying because some unprepared technique-wise, unaware of the ocean and uncomfortable around others shot their board into my head and left me face down unconscious in the water. Hesitation causes accidents. The worst is those scared drivers on the highway that cause an accident but don't get into the fender bender themselves, as other drivers try to avoid them.

[LostAtSea]

Ugh - I feel for you. Fear is a dealbreaker for surfing. As you say, it creates hesitation, and that's when bad stuff happens. It's hard to shake it once it sets in. I went through it recovering from surf injuries and I still struggle with it from time to time in bigger surf.

I try to turn my brain off when paddling for a bigger wave and just give myself a pep talk. "I own this wave! It's mine! I got this!!" - I try to get a bit aggressive in my headspace. That helps me commit to the wave. If I have any hesitation due to fear in my mind, I am going to miss it, and maybe even go over the falls and get pummeled. The safest option is to paddle, pop, and ride.

OMS gave good advice.

[delphin]

Mayday981 you also asked,

"My question is has anybody ever felt this way?"

I believe that we have all felt this way. Much has been written on this. You are definitely not alone.

In fact the question could be, "Does everyone feel this way"? Yes, but not every time , and as you become more experienced at technique, reading the ocean, knowing the rules of who takes priority, and being aware of your limits and capacity, your time in the fear zone will diminish.

In a way each of us is engaged in a lifetime of exposure therapy to the risks and rewards of engaging with ocean energy.

I used to say to myself there were two kinds of waves, waves that could hurt me (beyond my capacity) and waves that could hurt me if I did something foolish or failed to pay attention.

Things that helped with my early fear journey...finding a coach who respected and worked with my fear. Writing and naming explicitly what it was I really feared, then naming and practising the counter measures. Using breathing after getting pounded by a big set. Using humour. Practising those game of inches manoeuvres to get up and over, through, or reverse barrelling my turtle rolls. Stabbing the wave with my board to hold on during a turtle roll. Sometimes singing to myself out the back. Learning a killer white water taxi move so that I could always ride on in if I was not feeling it. Using meditation breathing just before turtling and completely relaxing to conserve energy.

So fear has been a great teacher. And on the days when the fear transforms into a controllable sense of heightened awareness, well those are sweet days indeed. You have that to look forward to.

[Mayday981]

My theory is fitness familiarity and fun. The more fit you are and the more familiar you are with the ocean the less dangerous it is to you so less to fear. It’s got to be fun for you or you won’t persist. I am also an advocate for small steps. Small steps are easier to accomplish so you feel like you are making progress and bigger steps are more scary.

Thank you. I'm actually going to start swimming more at my local pool. I'm hoping that will help me to be more comfortable with the water and improve my paddling.

[Mayday981]

My theory is fitness familiarity and fun. The more fit you are and the more familiar you are with the ocean the less dangerous it is to you so less to fear. It’s got to be fun for you or you won’t persist. I am also an advocate for small steps. Small steps are easier to accomplish so you feel like you are making progress and bigger steps are more scary.

This is great advice. Here are a few suggestions for the small steps...

*Surf at a sheltered break and on smaller (3 foot) days. Searching Magic Seaweed forecasts will help with this.
*Paddle out when the tide is coming in. The waves will be crumbly rather than steep.
*Look for an alternative peak away from the crowd.
*Ride a longboard with thruster fins. More foam will increase your wave count.
*Ride with a friend who can support and encourage you.

Thank you for your suggestions. I never knew about waves being more crumbly as the tide comes in. I'll be sure to try and surf at those times.

[Mayday981]

I think my fear is I panic and freeze and then end up drowning.

And then what happens ? You die. We all will end up dying. Would you rather die doing something you love that makes you feel alive out in nature ? Or would you rather die coop up in the house on the couch playing video games ? Life is about living ......... and making mistakes. We learn by making mistakes, overcoming obstacles, and dealing with the good and bad.

That said, I don't want to end up dying because some unprepared technique-wise, unaware of the ocean and uncomfortable around others shot their board into my head and left me face down unconscious in the water. Hesitation causes accidents. The worst is those scared drivers on the highway that cause an accident but don't get into the fender bender themselves, as other drivers try to avoid them.

You're right. That's honestly what i've been doing. I've been playing a lot of video games and not going out cause of this fear. I appreciate the response. I'm going to go out in small waves first to get my confidence and technique back. I'm still trying to get over the fear of turtle rolling. I've ditched my board a couple times and I already that's bad technique. I did it though of course when nobody was around.

[waikikikichan]

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[waikikikichan]

I'm going to go out in small waves first to get my confidence and technique back. I'm still trying to get over the fear of turtle rolling. I've ditched my board a couple times and I already that's bad technique. I did it though of course when nobody was around.

You need to not go out ALONE. You need to have someone more experienced to help guide you. Especially about using landmarks and knowing which way the currents and rips are pulling you. If not, you will end up in the wrong place and get in panic mode (again).

[IB_Surfer]

Don't surf and leave me more waves or surf and get stoked

[Surferkitemana]

One suggestion to overcome fear is to take it in small baby steps. Do the things that are easy and not scary at all, then gradually raise the bar.